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Diet selection by immature green turtles (Chelonia mydas) at Bahía Magdalena foraging ground in the Pacific Coast of the Baja California Peninsula, México

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 May 2008

Milagros López-Mendilaharsu ,
Susan C. Gardner ,
Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez  and
Jeffrey A. Seminoff
Milagros López-Mendilaharsu
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S C La Paz, BCS 23090, México
Susan C. Gardner
Affiliation:
Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S C La Paz, BCS 23090, México
Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez*
Affiliation:
Programa de Investigación en Botánica Marina, Departamento de Biología Marina, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, BCS 23080México
Jeffrey A. Seminoff
Affiliation:
Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA–National Marine Fisheries Service, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037USA
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez Programa de Investigación en Botánica Marina Departamento de Biología MarinaUniversidad Autónoma de Baja California SurLa Paz BCS 23080México email: [email protected]
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Abstract

In order to determine if eastern Pacific green turtles (Chelonia mydas) exhibit feeding preferences samples of recently ingested food items were compared to the food resources available in the marine environment where C. mydas congregates. Stomach samples were collected by conducting gastric lavage and, at the same time, vegetation transects were conducted during spring and winter. Green turtles in our study selectively consumed seaweeds, with Codium amplivesiculatum and Gracialaria textorii as preferred species. Differences in the consumption of species were found across the two mentioned seasons and were consistent with changes in the availability of different algae species in the environment. Based on these results, it is recommended that sea turtle conservation plans along the Baja California Peninsula include Pacific coastal mangrove channels with a high diversity of algae species as priority areas for protection.

Keywords

dietselectivityChelonia midasseaweedsea grassMéxico
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 88 , Issue 3 , May 2008 , pp. 641 - 647
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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